orographic
/ˌɒr.əˈɡræf.ɪk/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Relating to mountains or to the shape of the land. It is often used in geography and weather to describe effects caused by mountain terrain.
- Orographic rainfall is common on the windward side.
- The map shows orographic features clearly.
Adinary Nuance
Use orographic when mountains or land shape affect something, especially weather or rainfall. It is more technical than mountainous, which simply describes a place with many mountains. It is also more specific than topographical, which can refer to any land shape, not only mountains.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thuộc núi
- Spanish
- orográfico
- Chinese
- 地形的
- Japanese
- 地形性の
- Korean
- 지형의
Etymology
From Greek oros meaning "mountain" and graphikos meaning "relating to writing or drawing." The word entered English through scientific writing in the 19th century.
Common phrases
orographic rainfallorographic liftorographic effect
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is orographic a common word in everyday English?
- No. It is mostly used in geography, meteorology, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between orographic and topographic?
- Orographic is about mountains and land shape affecting something. Topographic is about the shape of the land more generally.
- How do I use orographic in a sentence?
- You can say, 'The region gets orographic rainfall in winter.'
- Is orographic used in IELTS writing?
- Yes, it can help in academic topics about climate, geography, and environment.